Share this

The Weekly Focal Point - July 25

The Bible presents us with a mathematical dilemma when we study the nature of God. From the beginning we are told that there is only one God. That revelation became the doctrinal rally point of ancient Israel – “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4). And yet, also from the beginning, there has been a kind of uncontainable “plurality” to that one God. Not only do we find in Genesis plural pronouns for this one God, but even the Hebrew word for “God” is a plural noun—utilized as a grammatical singular throughout the Old Testament (i.e., Elohim). Then, when we turn to the prophecies concerning the Messiah, we find him described as a distinct person, and yet at the same time he is presented to us as the “Mighty God” and “the Lord” (Isaiah 9:6; Malachi 3:1 et al.). And when he arrives in the New Testament we read that the people who were chided and even threatened to only worship the one true God (Exodus 34:14) were repeatedly called to worship Christ from the time of his birth all the way through his post-resurrection appearances. Add to this that the Spirit of God is spoken of as a distinctive third person, who the Messiah said the Father would send to be our Helper (John 14:16-17), and you have the mathematical dilemma that God’s people have been grappling with for centuries. While some foolishly try to explain it away, humble Bible students have been left to worship this God who is far more complex than anything or anyone could possibly imagine. So boldly stand with God’s people throughout the generations, and take time today to admire and worship the mysterious God who is three in One.

-- Pastor Mike

JULY OFFER

It seems like the goal of people today is to figure out how to get everything they want. Unfortunately this seems to even cross over into Christian life. Some of the best selling Christian books are about this very topic. However, God is not a celestial genie in a bottle. In fact, he tells us that "he who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income" (Ecc. 5:10). The goal is to be satisfied with whatever God has provided for us. Contentment is the biblical standard Christians should strive for. With this in mind, I would like to recommend a book by William Barcley called The Secret to Contentment. Drawing from Scripture and the teachings of Puritan writers, Barcley provides wise biblical counsel on finding true satisfaction in our “never enough” age. Get your copy of The Secret of Contentment for a donation of any amount this month.